The Fruity Addition That'll Add New Flavor To BBQ Sauce

If you aren't a seasoned grill master with all the expert tips and tricks up your sleeves, then you may not know that people have been adding jams and jellies to barbecue sauce for ages. These sweet spreads make a great addition to homemade and store-bought BBQ sauces alike, but why is it such a good meat pairing, and what jams or jellies should you even be reaching for if you want to give this tip a try? Plenty of fruit jams go well with different cuts and kinds of meat, but today we'll take a look at apricot jellies and jams and how they can bring a delectable flavor out of your barbecued meats.

So, why apricot specifically? Fruit jams and jellies deliver a welcome touch of bright and fruity sweetness to your BBQ sauce. You can get a similar effect by adding white or brown sugar, but they don't have the same depth and complexity. BBQ sauce on its own is usually salty, smokey and savory. Sometimes it has that one-note sweetness from sugar, and it often has a sharp tang that fruit flavors complement well. The apricot's milder and slightly tart sweetness is also perfect if you want to avoid an overly-saccharine sauce, so it gets a leg up on blackberry or fig preserves, which are also popular. Apricot jams also provide some great texture, thickening up your sauces and potentially leaving behind pops of whole fruit pieces.

As far as meat goes, you can slather a good apricot BBQ sauce on pretty much anything you grill or roast up, but it does tend to shine more brightly with white meats. Apricot pairs beautifully with chicken and turkey, lending a tart-leaning sweetness that's similar to cranberries. It also suits pork well. Pork products already go great with sugar–think candied bacon and honey-roasted ham–and the additional fruit component brings out the umami of the pork itself. Jams also help tenderize your meat, giving you a more delectably soft piece to dig into.

Now all that's left to do is grab the right jam or jelly. What you want to get will depend on your own textural preferences and the kind of BBQ sauce that you're using. Jams and jellies work better in a marinade or full-bodied sauce rather than a thin or watery one, since they automatically thicken up anything you add them to. You also want to steer clear of any BBQ sauces with strong and clashing flavors. Something like an Eastern Carolina-style vinegar sauce may not work out, but a Carolina mustard sauce could pair nicely since mustard and apricot are complementary. If you find yourself thinking up a combo that sounds delicious, give it a try! Trial and error is the best way of finding your new favorite recipes, after all, and you can't really lose with a good apricot jam and a decent cut of meat.